TeabagVic wrote:2 Questions:
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When buying/trying the Speed 4 10m, I was a little disappointed about its difference compare to Speed3 (yes lots of improvements but decrease in hang time and jump height compare to Speed3). I felt that this kite should have been given another name than Speed4.
Thank you for any information Flysurfer.
I don't know if it was the issue is fixed with the latest Speed4s 8 and 10, but the ones I had were delivered with the front lines way too short, with the following consequences:
- no where near the power the kite should be able to deliver when properly tuned, meaning lower crappy jumps and miserable low end.
- kite unable to turn in a tight radius (goes to the zenith when changing direction, quite noticeable in higher winds), really no good for wave riding
- the safety line was also too short, pulling the kite in one direction as a result of the disymmetric pull when the front lines take most of the load (in higher winds, the safety line is in tension)
I've shortened the back lines by 10 cm and the kite now behaves and performs incredible. The best of FS range. Read somewhere a guy had to shorten the back lines by 25 cm! Quite unacceptable that kites of atmospheric prices are not tuned correctly right out the bag. The reason I was given for such short front lines was to allow for the line stretching during the first hours, but after 10 hours, the problem wasn't fixed.
When properly tuned, the kite should start to stall when the bar in pulled in completely and the depower strap on "full power".
BTW, shame FS reintroduced the draggy
jet-flaps on the big sizes.